T&T: Legal showdown looms between PM and former police commissioner

 

A legal showdown is looming between a former Police Commissioner and the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago Dr. Keith Rowley over claims of political interference in an investigation.

 

Former police commissioner Gary Griffith is claiming that Dr. Rowley paid him to go after his political opponents in a fraud probe.

 

The Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister has described the former police commissioner as a liar and said he would engage his lawyers to have the matter resolved. 

 

"If I have done that, I would have committed an offence to use taxpayer money to go after my political opponent. In the way as described is an offence under more than one law in this country. So I'm being accused of a crime. But it's a lie."

 

"By making that statement, he is giving an argument in the court by the defence lawyers, for all these people, that their prosecution by the Trinidad and Tobago Police is politically motivated. As Prime Minister of this country, I have had absolutely no personal instruction or involvement in this matter. This was a matter between the Attorney General, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and the Cabinet where the Minister of Finance resides. And therefore, I'm passing all these documents, including the one signed by the said Commissioner of Police, and the Cabinet notes to my lawyer," he declared.